yellowheart, wenge from Africa and Black cherry from Memphis. Curly maple from Ohio.

the black cherry is priceless.

About 12 years ago we lived in Bartlett, Tennessee which is a suburb of Memphis. In the Sunday paper we noticed a classified ad for cherry and walnut lumber @ a dollar a board foot. Never missing a wood bargain, we called, got directions and drove into southern Memphis to take a look at it. Seller met us at an old shed across the street from an old church. Shed was stuffed with rough-cut boards of cherry and walnut. Dusty, and undisturbed for many years it really looked like a mess. Not to go home empty handed my son and I dug through the pile of lumber, finding the best of the bunch. We came up with pretty big pile, about 140 bft.When the seller was helping us load the wood into the pickup he told us about the wood. The trees came from accross the street and once were on the grounds of the Babtist Church. He said he was the minister of the church and the trees were blown down many years earlier by a tornado. When we were about done loading he told us the trees were special, .... special because Martin Luther King had once visited the church and prayed while under the trees. Story stuck to the wood and has followed it everywhere since. I made many items from that lumber, a shaker clock, a chair, dresser, boxes and now cutting boards for the save the children event.

Man! – I know nothing about pricing this kind of thing, but I do know beauty and I know a great story when I hear one! The basket weave pattern is nothing short of incredible. Personally, I would donate the cutting board to the pastor of the church where I obtained the wood. Let them put it up for auction to raise money. And then make more to sell on E-Bay. The best marketing is word of mouth!

I think, generally speaking, that on eBay, a item as delightful as this one, listed with a sharp, tightly cropped photograph or two, and a full, but not too long winded narrative will find its realistic price at the fall of the hammer – especially with its charitable connection. Your story as told above would fit the bill. And you’re probably at the peak of Christmas buying just now. I recently listed a book starting price $10 and it sold for $200. Ooops I’m rattling on – hope it helps.